Easy access to main roads, highways, public transportation and commuter rail is one of several key factors to consider when choosing a new place to live, whether it’s traveling for work, leisure or visiting family. The ability to get to your destination quickly and easily save you gas money and gives you more time to do the things you love instead. If you’re considering a move to Central Pennsylvania, here are some areas that offer the best travel options.
The eastern side of the Susquehanna River is home to a number of suburbs around the state capital of Harrisburg like Middletown, Hummelstown and the famous Hershey PA. Here you’ll find some of the best dining and entertainment options the mid-state has to offer, with a mix of convenient local travel between towns and several options for out of town travel.
While rush hour often leads to heavy congestion, the Harrisburg/Hershey area offers access to most major highways to get your anywhere in Pennsylvania and even down to Maryland and Virginia. Highways running through Harrisburg include the PA Turnpike (I-76), I-81, I-83 and US-22/322. Hershey, home to Chocolate World and the Giant Center, sits just off US-422 and US-322 for easy commutes to and from Lebanon and Cornwall.
For long-distance travel or commutes to large cities like Pittsburgh, Baltimore, DC, Philadelphia or New York, you’ll find Amtrak stations in Harrisburg and Middletown.
RabbitTransit (Formerly Capital Area Transit) offers 29 fixed routes throughout the City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County and Cumberland County providing public bus transit to Hershey, Carlisle, Hummelstown, New Cumberland and Mechanicsburg.
Lancaster County boasts a lot of advantages when it comes to travel as both a destination for visitors from around the country and easy commutes to major cities in the Mid-Atlantic.
Starting in the heart of the county, the city of Lancaster sits just south of major interchanges for US-30, US-222 and PA-283 for traveling north and south in central Pennsylvania. Popular residential areas in the northern part of the county, Lititz and Ephrata, offer easy access to the PA Turnpike (I-76) and PA-272. From Lancaster county, it’s easy to get to York, Harrisburg, Reading and Philadelphia, with direct routes to Baltimore, DC and New York.
The Lancaster Amtrak Station sits on the norther border of the city, not far from the US-30/US-222/PA-283 interchange near Penn Medicine Park, home of the Lancaster Stormers. From here you can reach Philadelphia in just over an hour, or Penn Station in New York City in just under 3 hours.
The Red Rose Transit Authority offers 17 fixed-route busses and three public parking lots for commutes to and from main residential areas in Lancaster County. You can commute to and from the City of Lancaster through Lititz, Ephrata, New Holland, Willow Street, Millersville, Columbia, Manheim, Gap and Elizabethtown.
Located just across the river from the state capital, the “West Shore” communities of Camp Hill and Mechanicsburg offer a perfect blend of small-town charm and high-speed accessibility. This area is a primary hub for professionals working in the state government or the massive logistics and naval support sectors nearby.
Mechanicsburg and Camp Hill sit at the intersection of several critical corridors, including I-81, US-15, and PA-581 (the “Capital Beltway”). Whether you are heading south toward Gettysburg and the Maryland border on Route 15 or navigating the Carlisle Pike for local shopping, these routes keep the region connected. The PA Turnpike (I-76) also features a major interchange in Mechanicsburg, providing a direct pipeline to Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.
While there is no Amtrak station on the West Shore, residents are less than 15 minutes away from the Harrisburg Transportation Center. This makes the West Shore an ideal residential choice for those who want a suburban lifestyle but need easy rail access to the Northeast Corridor for business in Philadelphia or New York.
Public transit on the West Shore is robust, managed by RabbitTransit. The Route C bus is a staple for local commuters, running the length of the Carlisle Pike to connect Mechanicsburg and Camp Hill directly to Downtown Harrisburg. Additionally, the rabbitEXPRESS provides specialized commuter service for those traveling into the city from further outlying areas in Cumberland County.
York serves as a vital bridge between Central Pennsylvania and the Baltimore/Washington DC metro areas. Its location makes it a premier destination for commuters and travelers who prefer the community feel and value found in Pennsylvania but still want access to the Nation’s Capital.
York’s layout is centered around I-83, which serves as the main north-south artery. Commuters can be in Harrisburg in 30 minutes or across the Maryland line in roughly the same amount of time. US-30 (Lincoln Highway) runs east-west through the heart of the county, providing a direct, non-interstate connection to Lancaster. For those heading toward the Philadelphia suburbs, the PA Turnpike is easily accessible via I-83 just north of the city.
Because of its high volume of interstate commuters, York features several strategic Park & Ride lots (notably at Exits 14 and 24). These lots serve as the jumping-off point for the rabbitEXPRESS, which offers daily scheduled trips for commuters heading to the State Capitol complex in Harrisburg or south toward the Maryland light rail connections.
Within the county, RabbitTransit operates a comprehensive fixed-route system that keeps the city and its surrounding boroughs connected. With over a dozen routes, residents can easily navigate between the downtown district, major medical centers, and the growing industrial parks that define the York economy. For those looking for a “car-lite” lifestyle, the connectivity between residential neighborhoods and the specialized express routes makes York a highly functional home base.
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